State



Sem, 25 W25..

Mmm IF. JJ. HEYBACH AUTOMATIC TORCH LIGHTER Filed oct. 15, 192e 2 sneats-sheet 2 llatented depth 25,

AUTUMATXC TRCTE LIGHTER.

`v .application leductober 15, 1926. Serial No. 141,623.

` This invention relates to metal-cutting and Welding apparatus, and particularly to oxyacetylene or other plural gas-burning torches. y

@ne of the disadvantages attending the use ot'v oiiyacetylene torches as at present construeted is in the susceptibility of the flame to become extinguished frequently duringthe cutting or Welding operation, necessitating the relighting ot the torch with matches and allowing the Work to cool offin the meantime.`

'lhe present invention proposes the construction ot a torch provided with automatic means 'lorlighting and relighting it, which means can instantly be 'brought into operative position and simultaneously actuated for lighting the torch, and Which is automatically retracted ater 'unctioningto a position entirely out of the Way ot the Working end of the torch and protected :trom and sparks of the molten metal.

. Another object ofthe invention is the provision o a torch, equipped with the light ing feature above described, having safety means' for automatically turning oil the oxygen should the latter be on when the lighting" device is operated, so that the acetylene alone will be available at the time oit lighting.

llimther object ol the invention is to con*` struct an oXyacetylene torch in Which the gas controlsas well as the lighting trigger are arranged Within easy access olf the lingers ot the hand when grasping the handle ot the torch, so that all the controls-incident to the operation of the torch shall be within convenient reach ot' the operator.

Artur-ther object oi the invention is to provide a novel shield or housing for the lighting mechanism and the associated parts.

@ther objects oit the invention Will appear as the following description ot a preterred embodiment thereof proceeds.

ln the drawings, in which similar reference characters' are used throughout to denote identical parts f Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a torch embracing the principles ot my invention;

lFig. 2 is a plan view of the saine;

isa side elevation on aslightly reduced scale, show ving the casings in Which certain ot' the parts are housed;

Fig. d is a longitudinal section through the lighting mechanism;

llig. 5 is a longitudinal section ot parts ol the heat the light pose; j

lig. G is a similar view, showing the parts in the biased position assumed when the lighter is actuated; llig. fis an underneath plan view ot' the casing which houses the lighting mechanism; 8 is a side elevation otpart ol the torch, showing the obverse side to that shown in Fig. 3; and

ldig. 9 is a cross 9 9 ot Fig. 7.

Referring now in detail to the several ligures, the torch consists essentially oil:v` the acetylene pipe 1 and the oxygen pipe 2, both et these pipes being brought together as usual into the single nozzle 3. At a convenient point, the pipes 1 and 2 pass through, and are made tast-to, a handle i trigger 6 having a tingenpiece 7 is pivotally mounted upon said torch adjacent said handle, tor instance, at the point 8., The trigger oscilla-tes when pressed, between lini-A its indicated by the tull and dotted lines ini Fig. 1, and it reciprocates a link 9 which is pivotally joined to andactuates the lighter 1 ing mechanism in condition of resection taken along the line The lighting mechanism consists ot an arin 11 pivot-ally mounted upon a pin 10 carried by aiixed tl-shaped supportk 111. Said arm carries at its end a magazine Y12 ot pyrophoric material, and adjacent the saine in operative relation thereto, a dish 13 having `a serrated edge le. rlhedislz, by preference, consists ot a riin freely rotatable upon a central portion 15, constructed to expand when tov biased in one direction so as to positively env gage said rim, constituting a oneavay clutch ttor iin-parting to the rim a step-by-stcp unidirectional rotation. 'lhe disk. 13 is actuated through an arm 1st pivotally associated with the clutch member 15 and normally biased in a direction to maintain said clutch expanded by means ot springs 17 and 18, stretched between points on the respective arms 11 and 1G. 'lhe arm 1G is caused to reciprocate relav tive to the arm 1 1 by means ot a pawl k19 pivoted to the arin 11 and carrying a pin 20, which norn'ially engages in a slot 2l in the arm 16. j i 1 lllhen the link 9 is pushed by movement ot the trigger 6 toward the Working end ot the torch, it oseillates the lighter from the full line position shown in Fig. 1 to the dotted line position. rlhis causes the extremity 22' ot' i the pawl 19 to engage an abutment 23 formed indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4. This causes the pin to bear against one side of the slot 21, Vthereby ldrawing the-arm 16 in a direction opposed to the tension of the springs 17 and 18, permittingthe one-Way clutch to contract so that it partiallyrotates in a counterclockivise direction relative to the rim of the disk 13the latter being detained by frictional engagement with the pyrophoric substance. Finally, when the lighter reaches the`dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, in which the point of contact between the disk and pyrophoricsubstance at which the spark will take placeV is Within operative distance of the jet Ofgas issuing from the nozzle 3, the pin 2O slips outof the noteh21, permitting the arm 16 to fly back under the tension of the springs 17 and 18, spreading the one-Way clutch and causing it to bind against the rim of the disk 13 and giving it at the same time a partialf rotation, which is transmitted to the rim, rotating the 'latter against the pyrophorie material and creating a spark, which ignites theissuing jet of gas.

lVhen the trigger is llet go, the spring 24 restores the lighter to its vnormal position, disengaging the paivl 19 from the abutment v23so that said pawl, the arm 16 and the clutch ftrolle'd respectively by theA rotary valves 26 parts affected thereby are restored to their normal vposition of repose ready for another act of ignition'. Y

AThe acetylene and oxygen pipes are con- Y.and 27, arranged adjacent the inner end of j the torch. Since itis desired to control these valves remotely from these points, that is to say, at a point conveniently adjacent the handle 4, rack-bars 28 and -29 are provided, en-

gaging gears in the valves 26 and 27 and en-v gaged respectively by'thumb gears 30 and 31 mounted torotate kfreely upon a stud 32, the latter being fixed to the torch. By turning Yeither Oft' the thumb gears manually, reciprocatory motion is transmitted to the associated rack-bar, which in'turn'rotates one of the lgas-control valves. The ends ot said rackbars are preferably provided With adjustable stops` 33 and 34, limiting the movement ,of

.said 'rack-bars so that the flow ofeither or both ofthe gases may be precisely controlled.

The oxygen control valve is also automatieally controlled by the trigger so as to ensure that the flow .of oxygen will be shut oft at .the time the ignition spark .is produced, leaving only thejet of acetylene to be ignited.

. Inorder to accomplish this automatic control, the trigger is provided with a lug 35 and the rack-bar 29 With a projection 36 Which'lies in the path tof movement of the lug 35 1n all positions of the rack-bar29 when .the oxygen vv alvo is open.V v 1 operation, acetylene valve is rst 31. This ot course throws the projection 36 again into the path of the lug 35 so that should the flame become extinguished and the trigger again have to be pulled, the oxygen valve will be again closed.

The'igniter and its appurtenantmechanism is preferably enclosed in a easing 40, suitably slotted at the top and bottom to permit the operation of the link 9 and. the extension of the lighter 10. The moving parts within the casing are thus protected from damage incident to rou-gh handling and `from the heat and sparks of the molten metal. If desired the rack-bars may also be enclosed in a easing 41, as shown.

From the foregoing description it will appear that I have invented a self-lighting torch which automatically controls the flow of oxygen to the nozzle in such a way as to ensure that the said flow of oxygen will be cut ott1 prior to `the self-lighting of the torch.

It is to be understood that the details of construction with which I have described my invention are not to be considered as limitative in their effect upon the scope thereof, but merely by Way of example, except where prescribed by the express terms ot the appended claims.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a metal Working torch, a flame nozzle, a lighter adjacent said nozzle, means for operating said lighter to move it to or from said nozzle, two pipes Conveying, respectively, an inflammable and a non-inflammable gas to said nozzle, valves in said pipes, manually actuable controlling means for said valves, the valve controlling the non-inflammable gas being responsive to control by said lighter operating means when open for closing said valve before ignit-ing the inflammable gas at said torch.

2. In a metal Working torch, a flame nozzle, a lighter adjacent said nozzle, means for moving said lighter into and out of operative relation to the nozzle, .pipes conveying different gases to said nozzle, valves in said pipes, manually actuable controlling means for said valves, and interengaging means associated with one of said valves and with Said lighter moving means for closing said valve from any open position when the lighter moving means is actuated.

3. In a metal Working torch, a flame nozzle, a lighter adjacent said nozzle, means for operating said lighter, pipes con veying different gases to said nozzle, valves in said pipes, a

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Lcees handle for said torch, manually actuable controllingr means for said valves adjacent said handle, rack bars connecting said controlling means and valves, and means on one of said rack bars cooperating with said lighter operating means for closing' the valve associated with said rack bar from any open position of the same when said operating` means is actuated. i

4f. ln a metal working torch, a flame nozzle, a lighter adjacent said nozzle, means for operating said lighter, pipes conveying different gases to said nozzle, valves in said pipes, a handle for said torch, manually actuable controlling means for said valves adjacent said handle, rack bars connecting,` said controlling means and valves, and means on one of said rack bars cooperating' with said lighter operating means for closing` the valve associated with said rack bar from any open position of the same when said operating means s actuated, said rack bars being provided with adjustable stops for limiting,l their movement in a valve-opening direction.

5. ln a metal working torch, a nozzle, two pipes in communication with said nozzle, one of said pipes being adapted to convey an inflammable and the other a non-intlainmable gas, two valves one mounted in each pipe., a swingingly mounted frame relatively disposed to the nozzle, an automatic igniter carried by said trame, manually operated means for actuating` the same, and means operably connecting the latter to the non-intlammable gas control valve whereby'said valve is automatically closed simultaneously with the energization of the lighter.

6. ln a metal working?r torch, the combination oi a hand-grip, two pipes mounted in said handgrip, a nozzle in communication with both ot said pipes, two independent valves one mounted in each pipe, a lighting device adapted to be projected in the path of the nozzle, the latter being` connected to the valve of the non-inflammable gas to cut otll said valve when in such projected position, and means for ret acting the lighter.

7. In a metal working torch according to claim 6 in which the connection between the lighter and the valveconsists of manually operated means for opening and closing the valve, and automatic means associated with the latter and the automatic lighter for only closing` the valve.

8. In a metalworking torch, a hand-grip, two pipes leading to said hand-grip and adapted to convey an inflammable and a non inflammable gas respectively, a valve in each pipe, a nozzleconnected to both o1 said pipes, a lever pivoted to the hand-grip, a pivoted arm operably connected to the lever and 'adapted to have its i'ree end move into and out ot' the path of the nozzle, a flame-forming member mounted in the free end thereof' and adapted to be energized when in the path of the nozzle, and means opel-ably disposed in the path of the lever and connected to the valve for controlling the non-inflammable ,das whereby said valve is closed when the ilame-formingl member is projected and in the path of the nozzle.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FREDERCK J. HEYBACH. 

